““Precast Concrete Architecture in Spain and Latin America”Precast Concrete Architecture in Spain and Latin America”

Alejandro López - Technical Manager ANDECEAlejandro López - Technical Manager ANDECE

Spanish Precast Concrete Manufacturers Association

Founded in 1964

Represented by 92 precasters (≈ 75% of national precast market) and 5 ad-members (raw materials suppliers, service providers)

Members of BIBM (European Precast Confederation) as well as other technical and institutional organizations both national and international

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More than 500 million of persons in 20 countries

Big differences (among countries and urban/rural areas)

Precast concrete development is linked with economic growth

Paraguay USA

1) Steel

2) Concrete

3) Formworks

4) Workforce

1) Workforce

2) Steel

3) Concrete

4) Formworks

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Level of development in precast concrete construction:

↑↑↑Spain

↑ Chile, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay

The rest

Spain: Nearly any field or construction element is prefabricable in concrete (buildings, infraestructures, pavements,...)

Wide net of companies

Chile, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay: although prefabrication is not new at all, not many elements are prefabricated (buildings, infraestructures, pavements,...)

Precast concrete is perceived as high quality and performance solution but expensive

Rest of countries: small development of industry

Only single units are in precast concrete: masonry blocks, kerbs, tiles,…

1942: Francisco Fernández Conde, gets from Eugène Freyssinet the patent of prestressed concrete for Spain and Latin America and produces first precast beams for beam-and-block floor systems

INDUSTRIALIZATION STAGES

• CLOSED SYSTEMS• MASS PRODUCTION• EUPHORY• BUSSINESS

• CRISIS• END CLOSED SYTEMS• NEW COMPONENTS• LIGHT PREFABRICATION

• CONSOLIDATION OF INDUSTRIALIZATION

• CE Marking (↑ QUALITY)

• DEMOLITIONS• NEW USES OF

PREFABRICATION• CONSTRUCTION BY

COMPONENTS• HEAVY PREFABRICATION

1950 – 1970

1970 - 1980

1980 - 2000

From 2000

Economic crisis → drastic drop o construction demand

Companies: most have family business origin but turned quite professional (investments in machinery, new facilities, know-how,…)

General context: social barriers. Spain is a “concrete” country but “in situ” use is predominant (90% vs 10%)

Building construction solutions have evolved on the back of constant improvements in technique and the fruitful collaboration of precasters with architects, engineers, laboratories, suppliers and builders.

The most advanced construction materials available were first used in prefabrication (steels, additives, supplementary cementitious materials, etc.)

Internationalization has been the way out for the las few years (focused in Latam)

Most important Precast Companies have developed methods or prefabrication building systems that allows the realization of the whole skeleton (façade and structure) in precast.

Field Share to be covered (up to)

Systems

Schools and kindergarten 90% Structure, facades

Industrial buildings 100% Structure, facades

Commercial buildings 100% Structure, facades

Residential buildings Slabs 100%

Beams 30%

Columns 25%

Facades 30%

Façades

Architectural panels systems (heavy prefabrication) Non structural Structural

Ventilated façade systems (light prefabrication) GRC (Glassfibre reinforced concrete) Polymer concrete panels

Urbanisation

Pavements Urban furniture Other solutions

Structures

Modular construction

Increasing of cooperation among architects and precasters

The perception has fully changed: from an industrial element to an aesthetic solution with many design possibilities → Architectural design based on precast concrete systems

Precasters propose an optimized façade solution: geometry (repetitiveness as an ideal) and modulation, surface finishes,…for residential, commercial, industrial, etc. buildings

From a single envelope to the full façade section:

To meet regulatory requirements (energy efficiency, acoustics, waterproof, fire resistance). Ex. sandwich panels including thermal insulation

Structural resistance and stability (loadbearing walls) Including windows or doors from factory

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Rubber mold Rubber mold Sandblast Grey and White cement

Surface retarding

Painting

Residential building Sabadell (Barcelona) 2010Arch: Ricard Perich, Rafael Gálvez & Eduard Freixas PREINCOPREINCO

Awarded with Social Housing Prize of Catalonia in 2013

Residential building Coslada (Madrid) 2007Arch: Roberto Tapia & Jorge Calvo INDAGSAINDAGSA

The highest building made of precast load panels in Spain (65 m high)

Residential building Madrid 2004Arch: Enrique Herrada & Marta Maiz PREINCOPREINCO

National housing prize, 2006

Renaissance Barcelona Fira Hotel L'Hospitalet (Barcelona), 2011Arch: Jean Nouvel / Ribas & Ribas ESCOFET 1886ESCOFET 1886

Casa del Cubo – Pilgrim hostel Burgos, 2011Arch: Luis García, Antonio García & Fco. Javier Santamaría PREHORQUISAPREHORQUISA

Acuario fluvial Expo Zaragoza 2008Arch: Álvaro Planchuelo PRAINSAPRAINSA

Mall Huesca 2015Arch: Unknown PRECONPRECON

RC70 columns, curve facades, HC slabs, double T beams, curve panels

One of the few precast concrete segments that has grown for the last years

GRC façade systems as the precast concrete solution facing other material competitors (ceramics, aluminium, masonry), including refurbishment works

Two main configuration: sandwich panels (1+x thermal insulation) and incorporated frame

Incoming performance: decontamination (Nox,…) by use of photocatalityc technology

Residential building Madrid, 2005Arch: MVRDV & Blanca Lleó DRACE EDIFICACIÓNDRACE EDIFICACIÓN

Ciudad de la Justicia Córdoba, 2016Arch: AYESA & MECANOO PREHORQUISAPREHORQUISA

Very few manufacturers

Material also addressed for other purposes in façades (copings, lintels, jambs, gargoyles,...)

Expensive solution in general (customized) but appropriate to refurbish/renovate facades

Residential building Barcelona, 2014Arch: J.A Marín Sánchez ULMA ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONSULMA ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS

Both designer and precaster convince the housers to invest on the renovation (IRR = 6,7 years)

High compatibility between architecture and prefabricated structure:

Making an assumption of the existence of sags in floors Presence of brackets and support mechanisms Relevance of the cross section of pillars and supports Minimization of overhangs and structural continuities Minimization of particular solutions Minimization of holes for specific facilities Concentration of vertical communication cores and installations holes Preference for orthogonal geometries and regular plant

Maritime Station Denia, 2012PREVALESAPREVALESA

Residential house Las Rozas (Madrid), 2005Arch: ENSAMBLE ESTUDIO PRAINSAPRAINSA

Pedestrian bridge (48 m) Pamplona, 2004Designer: Structural Research PRAINSAPRAINSA

Awarded with best Spanish precast practice. BIBM Congress. 2005

The whole system is able to fulfill all the requirement as well as guarantee of closed costs, tight deadline

Total industrialization → increasing demand

Precast concrete solutions are much more used in civil engineering works

And the architectural version of precast concrete elements?

Increasing use of GRC ventilated facade systems in commercial or office buildings Pavements are usually exempt of aesthetic requirements

New undergroung line. Panama PACADARPACADAR

Ciudad del Este bridge. Paraguay PREANSAPREANSA

Aguadulce port. ColombiaTITANDOLTITANDOL

Industrial buildings: frame + facade with small aesthetic component

Liverpool Altabrisa. Villahermosa. 2012

BAF

Awarded with Premio Obras CEMEX. Zaragoza. 2012

Unique definition of “concreto arquitectónico” in Latin America as “aquél que queda expuesto como superficie interior o exterior dentro de la estructura terminada que contribuye definitivamente a su carácter visual y está diseñado especialmente como tal en los planos y especificaciones del contrato”

Research Centre ARGOS. Combined use of GRC and solid reinforced concrete panels. Medellín (Colombia). 2015 ARGOSARGOS

Convention Centre. GRC. Lima (Peru). 2014 MANUFACTURAS DEL CEMENTOMANUFACTURAS DEL CEMENTO

German School. GRC. Chicureo (Chile). 2015 ULMA ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONSULMA ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS

Cinemark Megaplaza. Panels + frame. Lima (Peru). 2016 PREANSAPREANSA

Alvear Tower. Panels. Buenos Aires (Argentina). 2015 ICPAICPA

New trend: from a simple manufacturer which produces a range of precast concrete elements, to a “designer”

Company can advice and accompany the architect or urban planner in the whole process of design and development of the product, since the initial study to the work management, or if prefer, any of the phases:

Products: under catalogue (furniture) or customized (streetscapes)

Increasing demand of precast concrete solutions (marketing)

Continuous development in materials, software (BIM), designs, facilities and machinery, etc.

Sustainability as factor to increase the competitiveness industry (less waste, thermal mass, faster, more quality and durability,…)

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Work = design (new approach) against work ≠ design (wrong approach)

Need to define the project as precast from the initial stages and not changing an evolved project based on in situ systems

Industrialized architecture must promote such an multidisciplinary approach in which all the construction agents are closely linked the success of the work

Design on precast forces to a greater rationalization, greater standardization of typologies and better integration of different uses within the same structural typology

Design is essential (BIM and industrialization): it´s (the only) way to ensure the success of the project, controlling construction units, schedule, costs, etc.

Every precast company has its own solutions → more cooperation / communication

Precast concrete construction is a way of engineering outsource